(a) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to reducing and if not eliminating large insects and rodents, particularly mice, from entry into an open top, sliding cabinet drawer and more particularly but not by way of limitation, to a kit and a method for installing a drawer shield on top of the open top cabinet drawer to prevent access into the drawer when the drawer is closed inside a cabinet.
(b) Discussion of Prior Art
Heretofore, homeowners and businesses in certain areas of the country are faced with the ongoing problem of insects and rodents invading closed cabinet drawers looking for food, building a nest, and the like. Obviously, mouse traps and rodent poison can be used, but traps and poison are unacceptable around food and cooking utensils stored in a drawer. Also, the use of mouse traps and rodent poison is only a temporary solution and does not provide continuous protection from potential entry into open top, sliding cabinet drawers by rodents and large insects.
In the past, cabinet drawers have been made with a hinged drawer cover that sides out with the drawer. The hinged drawer cover then must be lifted separately to gain access inside the drawer. In U.S. Pat. No. 688,010 to Simmons, a dust and mouse proof drawer case is disclosed. In this early patent, an “L” shaped drawer plate is used to cover the open top of a sliding drawer. One end of the drawer plate is attached to a horizontal rail in front of a drawer cabinet. An opposite end, with a right angle bend, of the drawer plate is received next to a rear end of the drawer, when the drawer is closed inside the cabinet. This type of drawer plate, as described in the Simmons patent, is not completely seal proof and can be easily lifted upwardly by an insect or rodent for gaining access into the drawer.
The subject invention uses sliding rails for engaging opposite sides of a drawer shield. The drawer shield completely covers the open top of the drawer when closed and therefore helps discourage rodents and large insects access therein.